Benjamin DeLanoy Parad was raised in a family of mental health professionals who have worked in the Boston area for three generations. It may be no surprise, then, that he began his career as a teacher and clinical social worker in Boston. He earned his Master of Social Work with a focus on Management and Community Practice at the University of North Carolina, and his Master of Education at Boston College, where he was a Donovan Urban Teaching Scholar. From there, Ben found his calling in dual language instruction, teaching fifth grade English and Spanish Language Arts at the Rafael Hernández Dual Language School in Roxbury, MA for twelve years. His priority as a classroom teacher was developing trusting relationships with the students and families he served, and in recognition of this commitment, Ben and his partner teacher were named Boston Educators of the Year in 2019. He also took leadership roles in revising the school’s language model, facilitating collaboration between union representatives and administrators, and creating teacher-led professional development. Ben’s core beliefs about instruction are rooted in these experiences. He believes that teachers should receive the supports to develop meaningful curricula that engage students in understanding and improving their world and themselves. In order to create these conditions for teachers and students, Ben is interested in implementing systems level reforms in the areas of dual language education, teacher development and learning organizations.